Travel advice

Travel costs have been gradually rising over the years, but it’s still possible to save money. We’ve compiled a list of helpful tips for reducing the money you spend when you’re getting from A to B.

Bicycle

If you have a bicycle, cycling is a free, healthy alternative to public transport. If you don’t, then there are organisations such as Lifecycle, Julian House Bike Workshop and Bristol Bike Project which provide affordable bicycles and bargain repairs.
If you’re not sure which routes you can take by bike, Sustrans has a detailed map of cycling routes, along with up to date information of diversions and hazards.
You can also plan your route by using Google Maps or a cycling journey planner, such as Bike Hub.

Buses

Check to see if your local bus company has any deals, day riders, or weekly tickets you might be able to save money on. For example, if you use First Bus and you’re going to be changing busses a lot in one day, a day ticket will usually be cheaper than buying a lot of individual tickets.
You can plan your journey in advance through the TravelWest Journey Planner to check how many busses you’ll need to take and which ticket might be the best for you.

Trains

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You can get much cheaper fares by booking train tickets at least two weeks in advance and you can use The Trainline South West to compare the prices of tickets to different destinations, depending on when you change trains or the time of departure.
If you travel a lot, check to see which railcards you might be eligible for. You can also use Group Tickets when travelling with friends or family. Take a look at the offers available here.
Another way to get the same journey for cheaper is split ticketing, where you buy tickets for different parts of the same journey instead of one for the whole thing. You can try split ticketing on the Money Saving Expert website, or via spliticketing.co.uk.

Taxis

Taxis can get expensive very quickly, but if you have to take one, it’s cheaper to share a taxi with friends.
If you’re travelling, it can help to looking bus and train times in advance, so you can use those instead or, if you’re going on a night out, it can be a good idea to have a designated non-drinking driver or to avoid alcohol altogether.

Flights

Flights can be very expensive, so make sure you check out all your travel options and compare prices before booking a flight. For example, if you’re travelling to Europe, is it cheaper to take the ferry and a train? Try to ensure your luggage doesn’t go over the maximum weight limit by weighing it yourself using bathroom scales.
If you are going to fly, then Skyscanner is a useful tool for comparing prices online.